Cityscapes are no stranger to vertical gardens. With limited space and very few green spots, many city buildings have turned to living green walls … aka vertical gardens. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing but they also have a whole slew of eco benefits too including:

• Less reflected heat
• Storm water absorption
• Air purification - plants are efficient filters of pollution
• Noise reduction - quieter buildings and streets

Well, now there is a new vertical garden concept on the horizon. It comes from Spanish designers Benet, Saida Dalmau, Anna Julibert, and Carmen Vilar, and it just won a Designboom IIDA Award. This design isn’t like the others where the gardens are built on a vertical wall; this one is a stand-alone vertical cylinder that’s encased in mesh and more of a public park. It’s called the Spiral Garden and it combines architecture, sustainable design, and urban farming all in one. People can stroll through this botanical-like structure and there are 170 “parking” spots for bikes and even a compost center complete with a drop-off post.

This spiral contains an ascending garden where native vegetation can coexist with urban orchards, shared and planted for the neighbours for easy maintenance and serving also as a green outdoor walk.

Check out more picture of the Spiral Garden.